aReading Core Knowledge 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student reads a passage and is asked to identify the author's main argument. This task primarily measures which reading skill?
- Decoding
- Identifying central idea (Correct answer)
- Phonemic awareness
- Print concepts
Correct answer: Identifying central idea
Identifying a central idea or main argument is a key comprehension skill assessed in FastBridge aReading.
Question 2: On the FastBridge aReading assessment, items are selected using computer adaptive testing (CAT). What is the primary benefit of this approach?
- It gives every student the same questions
- It adjusts item difficulty to each student's ability level (Correct answer)
- It reduces the number of skills tested
- It eliminates the need for a proctor
Correct answer: It adjusts item difficulty to each student's ability level
CAT selects items based on the student's previous responses, providing a more precise estimate of ability in fewer items.
Question 3: Which text feature would a reader use to quickly locate the definition of a technical term within a nonfiction book?
- Table of contents
- Index
- Glossary (Correct answer)
- Bibliography
Correct answer: Glossary
A glossary provides definitions of key or technical terms used in the text.
Question 4: A reader encounters the word 'benevolent' and knows the Latin root 'bene' means 'well' or 'good.' How is this knowledge most useful?
- It helps the reader decode the syllables
- It helps the reader infer the word's meaning (Correct answer)
- It identifies the word's part of speech
- It tells the reader how to pronounce the suffix
Correct answer: It helps the reader infer the word's meaning
Knowledge of Latin roots allows readers to infer meanings of unfamiliar words, a key vocabulary strategy.
Question 5: When comparing two informational texts on the same topic, a proficient reader looks for differences in which of the following?
- Font size and page layout
- Author's purpose and point of view (Correct answer)
- Number of paragraphs
- Cover design
Correct answer: Author's purpose and point of view
Comparing author's purpose and perspective across texts deepens understanding and critical thinking.
Question 6: A student reads the sentence: 'The committee tabled the proposal indefinitely.' Which reading strategy best helps clarify the meaning of 'tabled' here?
- Sounding out the word phonetically
- Using context clues from the sentence (Correct answer)
- Checking the word's syllable count
- Looking for a rhyme scheme
Correct answer: Using context clues from the sentence
Context clues reveal that 'tabled' here means postponed, not placed on a table—a common context-dependent meaning.
Question 7: FastBridge aReading benchmarks are used to classify students into tiers. A student in Tier 3 most likely needs which type of support?
- Enrichment activities beyond grade level
- Universal core instruction only
- Intensive individualized intervention (Correct answer)
- Peer tutoring with no teacher involvement
Correct answer: Intensive individualized intervention
Tier 3 students are significantly below benchmark and require intensive, individualized intervention beyond core instruction.
aReading Core Knowledge 2
A student reads a passage and is asked to identify the author's main argument.
This task primarily measures which reading skill?